This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 001734 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR S/AVIAN INFLUENZA ACTION GROUP, 
OES/IHA, EUR/WE, CA, CA/OCS 
HHS FOR INTERNATIONAL BUDASHEWITZ 
USDA FOR ITP/MACKE/THOMAS, CMP/DLP/WETZEL 
USDA FOR FAS PASS FSIS AND APHIS 
CDC FOR DR. NANCY COX 
HOMELAND SECURITY FOR OIA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KFLU TBIO CASC AMGT FR
SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA FRANCE UPDATE - 
3/17/06 
 
REF: (A) Paris 1144 (B) Paris 1523 and previous 
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Animals 
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¶1.  As of 3/17, French authorities report no new 
  cases of the H5N1 in domestic poultry since the 
  sole case confirmed on 2/25 in a farm at 
  Versailleux in Ain `departement'.  11,000 turkeys 
  were culled (refs A and B). Since initial 
  detection in a wild duck on 2/18, H5N1 has been 
  found in 34 wild birds in two continental French 
  departements: Ain and Bouches-du-Rhone. 
 
  ¶2.  Vaccination/confinement: The GOF has extended 
  confinement of poultry to all continental French 
  departements.  Following the EU `green light,' 
  vaccination of 900,000 geese and ducks in three 
  French departements where confinement is not 
  possible began on 2/27. 
 
  ¶3.  Culling: Confronted with `unsaleable' poultry, 
  most farmers in the security zone around the 
  contaminated farm at Versailleux decided to cull 
  and incinerate production.  The destruction of up 
  to 950,000 domestic fowl began on 3/14.  The 
  government earmarked three million euros to 
  compensate and finance the operation. 
 
  ¶4.  Quarantine: Poultry sales from Ain departement 
  should restart shortly following the 21-day 
  moratorium on sales of poultry products. 
 
  ¶5.  Consumption:  Poultry consumption which 
  dropped 30 percent at end-February, has returned 
  to a more limited decline of 10-15 percent by mid- 
  March. 
 
  -------------------------------- 
  HHS/Institut Pasteur Collaborate 
  -------------------------------- 
 
  ¶6.  HHS A/S for Public Health Emergency 
  Preparedness Simonson led a delegation of HHS, 
  NIH, and CDC influenza experts to Institut Pasteur 
  Paris headquarters 3/9-10 to initiate planning on 
  enhancing AI surveillance/capacity in Pasteur's 
  affiliate institutes in SE Asia and possibly 
  Africa. The basis for this cooperation is 
  contained in an MOU signed on 2/6/06 between HHS 
  DepSec Azar and Pasteur President Dautry. 
 
  ------------------------------------- 
  French National AI Exercise Postponed 
  ------------------------------------- 
 
  ¶7.  The AI national exercise scheduled for 3/15-16 
  to test the GOF Avian Flu National Plan was 
  postponed.  WHO, FAO, and World Organization for 
  Animal Health and U.K., German, Australian, and 
  U.S. embassies had agreed to participate, together 
  with the French Health and Interior Ministries. 
  The next possible date for the exercise is 3/27- 
  ¶28. 
 
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  AI Fatigue? 
  ----------- 
 
  ¶8.  According to a 3/13 poll, 70% of the 1000 
  persons above 18 polled consider there is "too 
  much hype" surrounding AI in France.  Yet, 25% 
  consider that politicians and media are right to 
  inform the public. Asked how to support poultry 
  farmers hit by the crisis, 69% said the best thing 
  to do is to encourage everyone to eat poultry, 
  while 15 percent recommend financial aid to 
  poultry farmers. 
 
STAPLETON